GPSU’s Press Statement on the Current Issues of Wages, Salaries and Allowances and other Conditions of Service for Public Servants

PRESS STATEMENT

The evasiveness of Government to engage the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) since the last encounter with the Union through the collective bargaining process is very discomforting. Particularly because it was the people that elected the members of Government, who individually took an oath to uphold the law. Instead, they are committing wanton breaches of the law in full public view and with no consequences. It tells the populace that the institutions that were formulated to keep Government in check are either not working as they should or have been politically hijacked or is devoid of appropriate mechanisms to ensure good governance.

It is ultimately the people that must decide the fate of rogue Governments. This situation previously climaxed in April 1999 resulting in a 57 days’ strike which only ended after four organizations namely the Guyana Trades Union Congress, the Guyana Council of Churches, the Guyana Bar Association and the Private Sector Commission came together to mediate.

A Memorandum of Agreement was reached and signed by the late Dr. Roger Luncheon, the then Cabinet Secretary, on behalf of the Government of Guyana with representatives of the Unions and representatives of the Mediation Team.

This Memorandum of Agreement addressed among other things, the following:

1.   Initial actions that had to be taken in order to end the strike which included an interim payment of 25%.

2.   That there would be full resumption of work within fourteen (14) days

3.   The circular sent from the Ministry of Finance to the various Corporations and Companies limiting pay increase to a maximum of 5%, shall be withdrawn.

4.   There shall be no victimization on either side, eg. Transfers, terminations/dismissals, intimidation, retrenchment, demotions, etc.

5.       That there will be Arbitration to make a final judgment on the issues which all parties committed themselves to honour

6.      Conditions that should negotiations in future be deadlocked the manner that would determine a final settlement.

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is guided by Article 147 (3) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana; Section 23 (1) of the Trade Union Recognition Act 1997, International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention № 87 concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, Convention № 98 on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining and Convention № 151 on Labour Relations (Public Service) that were all ratified by the Parliament of Guyana and are in force. Additionally, there is the Agreement for the Avoidance of Settlement of Disputes, between the Government of Guyana and the GPSU that is embedded in the Public Service Rules (1987) for bilaterals.

The excessive suffering of Public Service Workers due to the blatant disregard by both PPP/C and APNU/ AFC for legal requirements is despicable. The public would have thought that President Irfaan Ali, who promised a lofty 50% increase for public servants while castigating the APNU/ AFC for their selfish 50% increase to ministers, disregard for collective bargaining, insensitivity to health workers and other public servants, would have learned from those mistakes which also resulted in ousting of his party from power in 2015.

For example, the Union sent a letter to President Ali on May 16, 2022 calling for expeditious enhancement of conditions of service for medical personnel which has never been acknowledged.

The President instead chose to arbitrarily implement unenlightened conditions of service which demotivated staff while depreciating the contributions of the valuable and strategic personnel in the health sector.  Using the health sector as a case in point. The Government of Guyana has been forced to acknowledge the incontrovertible fact that its policy and approach to the resolution of industrial relation issues surrounding the conditions of work in the health sector is a complete failure. The President of Guyana should have been appalled at the failure of his Labour and Health Ministers when he was forced to disgracefully admit the main referral hospital is short of hundreds of nurses. Further, nurses were doubling up on shifts because of these shortages. The situation at Regional Health Facilities is even worst as there are echoes of staff lamenting being overworked and underpaid at these sub-functional institutions. There are also fears of victimization in the form of transfers and salary cuts among the exploited workers. This is a pitiful record being set for the “Dubai of the Caribbean”, at a time when the government has announced lofty ambitions to expand health services nationally in the form of seven (7) new Regional Hospitals, a specialty hospital and other primary health facilities. This administration should know the public is not fooled by extravagant ribbon cutting events and false promotion of progress in the health sector especially when they turn up to the same facilities and are faced with intolerable waiting times, lack of drugs, services and basic materials that are necessary features to deliver quality health care.

The Guyana Public Service Union is predicting a continued deterioration in the health sector which is already bordering on collapse unless factors which are driving the unabated migration of health workers from all fields and levels of qualifications are addressed in a comprehensive manner. All around the country health workers are resigning and migrating with their entire families to Europe and North America where they can have a more dignified life.

Instead of honouring the lawful principles of collective bargaining, the Government of Guyana has chosen a path of union busting and unilateral implementation of unenlightened policies, which have compounded their own problems and will ultimately result in the death and injury of many citizens, who have no choice but to utilize the poorly managed public health care facilities. Rather than resolve industrial relation issues in collaboration with the GPSU, which will ultimately result in retention of locally trained staff, the GOG has decided to import Cuban Nurses in the short term. There are already serious concerns being raised by local staff about not only the qualifications of these nurses, but also the impact on morbidity and mortality of patients. The language barrier poses a serious challenge to effective communication between professionals and more importantly between patient and nurse.

In a high intensity sector such as health care, where time and details are of the essence, there is need for effective communication at all levels. Government’s medium to long term plan to train more local nurses will invariably fail mainly, because those nurses will be subject to the same harsh conditions of work and pitiful salaries which caused their predecessors to leave for greener pastures. To add insult to injury the Cuban Nurses may have a better compensation package than local nurses fueling further discontent.

The arbitrary and illegal imposition of unimpactful increases in salaries have only compounded dissatisfaction since key categories of workers such as nursing tutors were excluded. Additionally, less qualified nurses are earning in excess of their more trained and experienced seniors because of the ad hoc and ill-advised manner by which salary increases were addressed.  Nurses and other health workers allowances have been callously ignored for years. The nurses who opposed a vile attack on their character by Rudy Small, CEO of Linden Hospital Complex, were victimized, issues are still outstanding. Health care workers have lost their lives and suffered injury in uninsured vehicles and their families have not received meaningful compensation.

Workers who suffered pay and job losses as a result of illegal covid 19 measures made at the whim of the Minister of Health, instead of the lawfully constituted Central Board of Health, continue to be denied justice. Covid 19 health workers who suffered pay cuts at the Infectious Disease Hospital after there was an agreement with the CEO of GPHC to pay at a higher rate, will always remember that injustice, particularly if there is another pandemic.

Doctors who continue to be paid $4000 which equates to a measly $250 dollars per hour before tax for sixteen (16) grueling hours of on call (overtime) will continue to leave the public sector. Physicians, who continue to receive a paltry $600 housing allowance per month at a time when rent and prices of materials for construction is increasing, will find their home in other countries. Medical interns who continue to suffer the exploitation of working 16 to 24 hours on call (overtime) with no compensation will continue to unapologetically migrate to countries where they will be treated with more respect. To add insult to injury those who protect the health of the country are forced to eat and sleep in woefully inadequate and unsanitary conditions.

In summary, workers and their rights continue to be disrespected by a pretensive administration, who is only interested in photo opportunities instead of the resolution of issues through Collective Bargaining. The time has come for government to stop playing games with the careers of the workers who sacrificed for this country during the COVID 19 pandemic and will be called upon, if they are still here, in future crisis.

As a result of their executive lawlessness a number of very important issues are currently unaddressed. However, the gravity of the situation requires a more aggressive approach to the resolution of pressing industrial relation matters. To this end the GPSU is appealing to all members of the Public Service to stand in solidarity and be vigilant in the coming months as we press for a quick and decisive resolution of all pending matters.

Commencing with the payment of a living wage as the base payment for employment in the Public Service.

The Guyana Public Service Union has informed the four (4) organizations referenced in the first paragraph on the state of the 1999 Memorandum of Understanding. Additionally, the Public Service Ministry was written to informing them that we consider our negotiations at deadlock. As a result, the Chief Labour Officer was also written to requesting the initiation of the conciliation process. These burning matters are being brought to the attention of the International Labour Organization as well as our regional and international affiliates. GPSU hopes the press would assist in sensitization of the general public since any action by the GPSU will have effect on the entire nation.

Just seven days ago on Wednesday (20 September) in New York -Presidents of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the United States, Joe Biden, launched the Partnership for Workers’ Rights The unprecedented initiative between the two countries aims to promote decent work, with better wages, rights, and opportunities and without discrimination against women, ethnic groups and LGBTQIA+ people.” And yesterday the President of the United States Joe Biden, was on the picket line in support of Auto Workers that were on strike in the United States – expressing the view that their actions were just and should be considered.

The situation that we are currently faced with has deteriorated. It is most irresponsible and reckless and insensitive behavior we are experiencing from any government. It is amazing when I was informed that the President stated that he will approach workers directly, while he can’t find time to instruct his people to respect the rule of law and respect collective bargaining. Perhaps he should look at the conduct of Presidents Biden and Lula towards the working class, and be decent and professional and respect the rule of law, being in the vanguard of having them enforced.

In conclusion, it is amazing that while the Presidents Biden and Lula agreed with the Director General of the ILO to direct their governments to enhance working class remuneration, conditions of service and improve their quality of life, the Government of Guyana that masquerades about having working class credentials is shortchanging its workforce